Chamber Connection (November 2020)

Distance Learning, Working Parents and Employers - Oh My! Fall 2020's Back-To-School hasn't been the "jump for joy" moment that many parents typically feel. Across the nation, school districts are pushing back the start of the year, embracing distance learning, and finding workable options to keep students and teachers safe as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Each school district is doing something different, and many parents aren't given a choice of how students are getting their education.

In response, many companies are continuing work-from-home initiatives and allowing a more flexible schedule for their employees. Gone is the 9-to-5, Mondaythrough-Friday workweek, and instead, many parents are given more flexible options During the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents are struggling to balance remote work with to complete their tasks while balancing taking care of children and assisting with remote learning. helping children with lessons, acting as caregivers for smaller children or an elderly stay engaged and entertained as parents times where children study, and parents work on projects that require their full relative, and still giving their best for their work.

“We have certainly heard the full range of concentration. employer.

Here's a tip: schedule your "don't interrupt" Working from home, especially for responses from local businesses,” said Glenn those who aren't used to it or for businesses Morris, president & CEO of the Santa Maria work time at the same time that you're able that rely on collaboration and teams, Valley Chamber. “While some have found to book childcare to occupy younger kids can be challenging without adding in solutions that are working for now, many or the time that you schedule for older kids extra responsibilities. Many parents were have indicated that they are very concerned to read a book or go play outside. Don't challenged in the spring to finish out the about the long-term impacts on employees schedule your "concentration-time" during the same time that kids are working on year by fitting remote learning around and their families.”

Morris went on to say, “The Chamber, like assignments that they require supervision meetings and other company requirements, many small businesses, has had to address or assistance. You'll be interrupted and you and these challenges are back for the fall.

With dozens of childcare centers, this situation for our team. We’re trying to both will get frustrated.

If you are an employer, you may want especially early learning ones, throughout be as flexible as we can and recognize that the area closing, there's an increasing our team members have a lot of demands on to consider adding childcare allowances or challenge for parents to find childcare their time. To the extent that people can stipends to create at-home offices for remote as their offices gradually reopen. Allan get their work done well and still collaborate workers. These childcare stipends may allow Hancock College has witnessed this with the rest of the team, our focus will be to workers to pay for a part-time nanny or find solutions that meet individual needs.” hire a friend or family member for in-home challenge firsthand.

Each business is different, and there childcare, limiting the exposure to COVID. "Emergency childcare became necessary for essential workers in the community," are some instances where participation Whether it's extra personal time to be used explained Maria Suarez, manager for in certain meetings or other collaborative to help care for children and supplement the Orfalea Children's Center at Allan events is mandatory. The flexibility and remote learning from the local school Hancock College. "The Orfalea Children's understanding of the company of the district or setting up virtual childcare, Center recognized the community's need different "hats" their staff must wear many businesses are looking into different and opened its doors to provide safe and throughout the day makes a difference in ways to support their staff and we encourage quality care for children from 3 months helping employees manage the added stress local employers to do the same.

This, plus initiatives such as job-sharing to 10 years of age. Emergency childcare and responsibilities.

There are a few key things that remote and allowing part-time work without offered essential workers the opportunity to get childcare, allowing them to continue workers should embrace in order to make penalizing an employee on their career remote learning and their professional trajectory, can help businesses retain their providing services in their community."

Companies throughout the area have responsibilities both be successful. First, be top talent amid the pandemic and help been responsive in other ways too, including organized. Create a daily schedule, starting remote workers reduce their stress and still allowing more flexible schedules, adding with times that each family member must be a valuable contributing member of their extra personal and sick days, and even be available to participate in a classroom team. offering remote "day camps" to help children virtual lesson or meeting. Then, block out 7 Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce | November 2020